Bi-Weekly XLXV No. 26, December 19, 2012

faith friendship fellowship followership fruitfulness

www.firstsayyes.com

Recent events all around us can cause us to wonder what

on earth is happening to our

world? As people of faith we want to be careful not to fuel

fear of any kind. Fear feeds on many factors like misinfor-

mation and suspicion. It can be fanned into hysteria by

people with less than good

intent. Fear is an enemy of faith. In fact, did you know

that the Bible says, “Perfect love casts out fear.” As I

have shared with you before,

the phrase “fear not” appears 365 times in Scripture. That’s

one for each day of our calen-dar year. In the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem there is the phrase, “the Hopes and

fears of all the years are met

in thee tonight.” I have loved that line for a very long time.

Partly because I know within my own heart hope and fear

seem to have found a way of

living out life together. When it tips too far toward the fear

factors I can become agi-tated, concerned, and prone

toward sleepless worry. But,

when God fills up my life with greater faith, hope rises and

reminds me that circum-stances only last for a mo-

ment and that a better day is ahead. We have a future

WITH hope in Christ! We

don’t have to let fear win. Love already has. God so

loved the world (all of us) that he gave his only Son

(Jesus—who’s birth we cele-

brate at Christmas) that as we believe (trust) in Him we

do not perish, but have eter-nal life. It is great good

news. It is the “tiding” of which the angels sang on that

holy night. Fear can be helpful

in that it reminds us that we should be wise and careful and

do all that we can to remain safe (and thus my healthy fear

of heights). And when we have done all we can, then

rest in God. At that moment

we are to trust Him and the people he has placed around

us. (This is how I have been able to climb ladders to re-

shingle a roof, take airplane

trips to see family and friends and have peace about it—

fearing heights doesn’t get the best of me). See fear doesn’t

get to lead us or the situation unless we let it. So don’t let it.

Yes! We live in a world where

there is hurt and pain and suf-fering and much of it we bring

on each other. It is also a world of beauty and wonder.

God came to this world be-

cause He saw something worth loving and redeeming—us!

This is why we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”

Recent events have let some

wondering, while others have come to realize the words we

sing and pray are more than words. They are statements

about what leads us and guides us through life.

I believe we can hold onto

faith and hope at all times because faith and hope,

through Jesus, are holding on to us!

Merry Christmas family. God

bless us everyone! See you at the “holding” place

this weekend! ~jimd.

Leading People to aN active faith in Jesus christ

HHOLDOLD O ONTONTO F FAITHAITH & H & HOPEOPE! !

Fir

sT United M

ethodist Church of Sedalia

WWEE W WELCOMEELCOME

OOURUR N NEWEW

DDIIRREECCTTOORR OFOF

CCHILDRENHILDREN & &

YYOUTHOUTH M MINISTRYINISTRY Hi! My name is

Mona Sturges. I

am a 21 year old

senior at Univer-

sity of Central

Missouri. In May

2013, I will be

graduating with a

Bachelors of Science in General

Studies with an emphasis in

Early Childhood Education.

While at UCM I had the oppor-

tunity to serve as the Drum Ma-

jor for the Marching Mules for

two seasons. I love the Lord, a

good cup of coffee and life, I

snort when I laugh, I collect

coffee cups (I have 39!), and I

have the cutest niece in the

world! After growing up at

First Church and being a volun-

teer in both of these programs,

I am excited to take on a new

and different role as the Chil-

dren’s and Youth Director!

Our Advent message se-ries is called: Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-. Four weeks of sharing the start of the greatest story ever told. Come join us and invite a friend to experience the season with us!

The United Methodist Women will meet January 8 in the First Family Room at the Celebration Center at 1:15 p.m. with a pledge service led by Liz Rooks. All women are invited and if childcare is needed, please call Carolyn at 660-527-3792. 2013 O2013 OFFERINGFFERING EENNVVEELLOOPPEESS Thanks to everyone who so gener-ously supported this ministry in 2012. Assigned Offering Envelopes for 2013 will be mailed out during the week before the first weekend in January, or individual envelopes are available from the office for your convenience throughout the year. Please throw all unused 2012 and prior year envelopes away as they have assigned numbers on them and can cause confusion. God bless you for your thoughtful and generous giving to this ministry.

Strong Tower Haiti Orphanage

CCHILDHILD S SPONSORSHIPPONSORSHIP In anticipation of girls coming into care this January, Strong Tower has opened up child sponsorship opportunities. The estimated cost to care for one child is $60 per month. As a sponsor, you could choose to cover a partial or whole amount of a child’s monthly care. If you would like to become involved in caring for Caracol’s orphans in this way, the easiest way is to visit their website www.strongtowerorphanage.com and sign up on the Child Sponsor-ship page or contact Lorie Holt 620-0866.

HEARTBEATS

Mom’s Group Christmas Post Office The United Methodist Women

Join moms of all ages for fun and encouragement on the second Sat-urday evening of every month from 6:45—8:30 p.m. at the Celebration Center (Gathering Place). Our next event is January 12, 2013. Whether your kids are 2 or 42 - you are welcome! There will be snacks and door prizes! Childcare is pro-vided for children up to age 5.

CCHRISTMASHRISTMAS O OFFERINGFFERING This year’s Christmas Offering goes to our People in Need Fund (for local benevolence) or to Strong Tower child sponsorship. Thank you in advance for your gen-erous support. Please mark your check payable to First UMC with either PIN or STO in the memo. For your convenience, a Christmas offering envelope is available at the back of the Sanctuary, and at the Welcome Centers.

SSTEPHENTEPHEN M MINISTRYINISTRY If you are a patient, good listener and have faith that we can do all things through God, please con-sider joining our Stephen Ministry team. Daytime training for Stephen Ministry will begin January 17, 2013. We will meet once weekly for training to achieve 50 hours of caregiving training for certification. Manuals are $49.00. Please con-tact Don Brandes (827-6455) or speak to anyone on our Stephen Ministry team.

Our Christmas Card mailbox is now open. Drop your cards to church families in the “alphabetized slots.” Be sure to check for your mail each week! (The last day to pick up your cards will be January 6th).

Youth MPact is in recess De-cember 23rd and December 30th. It will resume Sunday evening on January 6, 2013. Kid’s Sunday School (5 years through Sr. High) will be in recess on Sunday, Decem-ber 23rd. During the Sunday School hour (9:40-10:40 a.m.), infants through 4 years may still attend as they normally do! If you are dealing with a con-flict right now in your lives, let one of our trained Stephen Min-isters help provide emotional and spiritual care. Call Don Brandes, 827-6455, or the church office, 827-2993. All donations postmarked by Dec. 31are eligible to be consid-ered for tax deductions as charitable gifts for 2012. Any received after that date must be counted for 2013. Thank you for all of your generous support of this ministry throughout the past year! God bless you!

YEstoday today today today Bookstore Bookstore Bookstore Bookstore Hours:Hours:Hours:Hours: Sat. 4-7 pm Sun. 8-11am

CCOMMONOMMON G GROUNDSROUNDS CCOFFEEOFFEE H HOUSEOUSE HHOURSOURS::

Saturday 4:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday 8-10 a.m.

Saturday Nights are Game Nights at Common Grounds Café at the Celebration Center

Dec. 23 Lorraine Arnwine, Lindsey Brosch, Caleb Rothganger, Jason Trauschke, Sara Verscha, Brenda McGinnis Dec. 24 Brooke Moriarty, Sherryl Pine, Dorothy Upton Dec. 25 Larry Claycomb, Timothy Iuchs, Merry Moore, Sally Tompkin, Janice Hoover Dec. 26 James Benner, Katelin Knight, Leslie Lane Dec. 27 Alix Duncan, Margie Kendrick, Robin Lorenson, Richard Lyles, Riley Ditzfeld, Pam Wallenburn, Brian McLemore, Raymond Tackett, Manuel Williams Dec. 28 Trish Henson, Mac McKinney, Deana Pomajzl, Jamie Napier, Chaz McAloose, Judy Davis Dec. 29 Vada DeMotte, Joshua Gerrish, Brody Rayl, Brody Riley, Keaton Mateja, Blake Jackson, Angelina Mudd Dec. 30 JoMikeal Mugg, Terry Fowler, Denny Houk, Samuel Wolfe, Bailey Yeater, Brenda Bohling, Justin Kyle Dec. 31 Helen Smith, Brett Grupe, Sue Coleman, James Rice, Dwayne Shive, Dorothy Shull Jan. 1 Rose Boone, Bryce Privitt Jan. 2 Derek Jackson, Tracy Harrison, Ray Pollard Jan. 3 David Lambirth, Wilma Woolery, James Whitsitt Jan. 4 Travis Reid, McKenna Clippert, Donnie Meloy, David Schroeder Jan. 5 Jacque Cowherd, Pat Gillman, Richard Brownlee, Ilene Thompson L

eading people to an active faith in Jesus Christ.

FIRST STEPS

December 8-9, 2012 Sunday School 115 Worship 972 Amt. Rec’d for Ministry $ 11173.08 Building 1036.50 Special 11783.00

December 15-16, 2012 Sunday School 102 Worship 968 Amt. Rec’d for Ministry $ 12297.74 Building 1672.00 Special 3672.05

If you would like additional

information about the church

attendance or finances, please call

the church office (827-2993).

Our Family

Our Prayers for: Betty Rose Thompson, Norma Tullis, Steve Emory, Louise Lentz, Rosalee Burgess, Dar-lene & Virgil Burgess, Sue Coleman, Frances Goldsmith, Jacob Gerken, Clifford Smith, Charles & Jennie Cheffey, Mac McBride, Brayden Gleason, Brittany Blake (Carolyn Mont-gomery’s granddaughter), Kathy Gardner, Eric Harvey; Strong Tower Haiti Orphanage and Our Military Families.

Our hearts go out in Christian love and sympathy to ~Michael Gruhns and family in the death of his father, For-est Gruhn, on Dec. 8, 2012 in Lincoln, MO, and to ~Frances Antoine in the death of her husband, Charles Antoine on Dec. 16, 2012.

Congratulations to : ~Terri Barker and Fred Bartol who were united in marriage on 12/12/12 in Sedalia, MO, and to ~Teagan Trammell on his Baptism on Dec. 15th. Teagan is the son of Mike & Chele Trammel.

WWEE C CELEBRATEELEBRATE THETHE D DAYAY YOUYOU W WEREERE B BORNORN

If your birthday is not listed, please let us know so it can be added!

Bill & Linda Walker 2004 S. Warren Ave. Sedalia, MO 65301

660-287-7876

TTHANKHANK Y YOUOU:: (On display at Welcome Center Bulletin Boards)

We received a note of thanks from: Kristy Karrick, The Burgess Family (Rosalie, Virgil & Darlene) and Jeanne Ann Mosier

WWELCOMEELCOME N NEWEW M MEMBERSEMBERS

Steve & Elva Luckey 3017 Brooking Park

Ave., Apt. B-9 Sedalia, MO 65301

660-619-8659

Jerry & Leota Monhain 2539 S. W. Blvd. Sedalia, MO 65301 660-827-6509

Helen Duft Winchester Meadows

3701 W. 10th St. Apt. 122 Sedalia, MO 65301

660-281-9318

Ray & Ashley Pollard 105 Villa Dr.

Sedalia, MO 65301 660-281-1700

Chuck Yarbrough & Brenda McGinnis 1411 S. Missouri Ave104 Katy Circle Sedalia, MO 65301 660-851-0853

Downtown, 4th & Osage

//Worship Sunday 10:50am

Celebration Center, 1701 W. 32nd St

// Worship Saturday 5:30pm // Sunday 8:35

9:45am East & West & 12:30 pm

Listen on the Radio at 1490AM Sundays 10:30am

or on Website at www.firstsayyes.com

First United Methodist Church

Office: 1701 West 32nd Street

Sedalia, MO 65301

Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID SEDALIA, MO 65301

Permit #208

FirsT United Methodist Church of Sedalia

RETURN ADDRESS REQUESTED

Our Christmas Eve service will focus on seven antiphons used since the 4th Century to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Journey back with us for a holy and beautiful celebration of the birth of Christ. Feel free to bring an ornament, picture or small remembrance of a loved one to place on a memory tree.

For those away or overseas 10 a.m., 5, 7 and 9 p.m. will be live streamed at www.ustream.tv (type in search: deidreamproductions)

LLETET’’SS ALLALL BEBE ININ THETHE NEWNEW P PICTUREICTURE D DIRECTORYIRECTORY!! We would love for your family to be pictured in our new directory. To schedule your appointment, go to our website www.firstsayyes.com and click on the Pictorial Directory Link, or call the church office (827-2993). New available dates are Jan. 11-12. All those having their picture taken by Lifetouch Photography will receive a free 8 x 10 photo and a new First UMC Pictorial Directory. You are welcome to submit a vertical pose picture (with signed release) if you prefer.